The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-03
Personalities.

An infintesimal part of the body poll
tic called the United States of America
resides in the person of BENZ. Harrison,
of Palatka. He is proud of the name
because he receives it unstained by the
use of his ancestors for many genera
tions. and because he believes it has been
kept clean since it was his peculiar prop
erty. But when he went home sick on
"Wednesday of last week he never dream
ed that it would so soon again become of
national concern-he knew not till Sun
day night that it had been associated by
G.. III. Jones with those of others, more
noteworthy, ON whom that individual
has lately visited his spleen.
Any citizen can report any neglect or
breach of trust committed by the post
master at Palatka against him who does
this openly and legally no complaint
will be made and no ill-feeling will be
expressed. And Benz. Harrison left his
bed yesterday to say that THE PALATKA
NEWS will not be used to defend the
postmaster against any attack by whom
soever made. except as it defended the
late republican postmaster from unjust
charges and unfair asperslOns. But the
citizen claims rights under our govern
ment with which neither &. H. Jones.
nor Grover Cleveland nor the President
of the United States can legally inter
fere, and Benz. Harrison will defend
these unmoved by threats and I'M
awed by any dread of consequences.
The postmaster ut Palatka" will shrink
from legitimate criticism of his conduct
as little as the President. and criticism of
the President is rs much the right of any
citizen as criticism of the postmaster.
The President holds office rs "a sacred
trust from the people. So does the
postmaster at Palatka, and the one is in
no sense subordinate to the other save as
both owe allegiance To n common sover-
eign and obedience to a law equally bind
ing on both. Ii the postmaster has Of
Tended against any law, human or divine
he expects to pay the penalty. and there
will be no whining or presentation of
palliating circumstances. Let justice be
done. Grover Cleveland was made
freSlUent tiat ne might execute tlte INV.
But there is another aspect in which
the case might be presented. Any citi-
zen may lawfully make complaint
against any man in public position be-
cause America is not Russia. But c. III.
Jones is guilty of presumption when he
proffers advice to BENZ. Harrison. The
light to vote is no badge of moral or
social worth, and Benz. Harrison accepts
advice only from his equals and tolerates
kindness only from those who merit his
respect. c. III. Jones has failed to make
his Boodle-Morahty acceptable To
the people of Florida and the
revolt against his methods now
means war to the knife in his own
immediate neighborhOod. He came
among us with hypocritical pretenses to
higher morality and he has paraded be
fore Us the language of the slums and
the methods of the blackmailer-the AS
sassin of character. the professional
political boodler. and the anonymously
unknown save in the social and moral
quagmire in which such abortions move
and have their being. He attempted TO
ride into notice ON the shoulders of
stronger men and we heard SUCCESSFULLY
of sensations which coupled other names
with his-Jones- Mann ,Jones-D Drew Jones'